


Little Things

by xuxisushi_1



Series: Lil' Thingamajigs [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Everyone Is Gay, Fluff and Angst, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Mark Lee (NCT) is Whipped, Mark gets really canadian, Maybe a lil comfort, Sadness, Sickfic, Swearing, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, This is really sad, Trinkets, mark is also very dumb
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-06-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:34:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 2,648
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24955393
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xuxisushi_1/pseuds/xuxisushi_1
Summary: In which Mark gives Donghyuck something special every month.(alternatively: mark is dying of cancer and decides to give hyuck a gift every month leading up to his death)
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Series: Lil' Thingamajigs [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1806190
Kudos: 10





	1. prologue

**Author's Note:**

> lowercase intended, originally on wattpad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark tells Dongyhuck he has pancreatic cancer and gives Donghyuck a marble

"I am so sorry Mr. Lee," the Doctor said. "You have about one year left."

Mark just sat there, speechless. He was only twenty-two, he had a whole life ahead of him.

"You can leave when you are ready, but please, call if you have any questions or concerns."

Mark looked up with dull eyes and barely replied to the doctor. "Yeah, thanks." 

'Cancer,' Mark thought. 'Well, that's just fucking great.'


	2. marbles and chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark, Jeno and Donghyuck go to a tea house. Mark gives the key and says “you are the key to my heart.” Jeno gags.

january- 12:21 pm 

"mark, this is pancreatic cancer, do you understand that?" donghyuck whimpered in mark's arms. "this isn't just the cold or the flu, you're going to die. i don't want you to die." the tears kept falling, flooding marks shirt with wet stains. i mean, it's not every day that you get told your boyfriend has a year left to live.

"it's okay, it's going to be okay donghyuck. i promise, we have time left." mark said, shushing the younger. he pulled the other away from his chest and wiped his tears away with his thumb. "don't cry dongsookie, your face gets all puffy."

"why are you so optimistic? you're dying for fuck's sake, why aren't you crying or screaming or doing something. please do something," donghyuck said. mark stood up and walked over to the kitchen leaving donghyuck on the couch. he walked to the living room back slowly with two mugs of liquid and handed one to the younger. 

donghyuck looked up to mark and asked something along the lines of 'what's this?' in between sniffles. "hot chocolate, you seem like you need it," mark answered. 

donghyuck chuckled and took a sip from his cup. "you think?" mark took a seat and scooted closer to donghyuck. he pulled a small round object from his pocket and handed it to donghyuck. "what's this?" donghyuck asked. 

"it's a marble." mark answered. it was small and had small scratched around it. the inside was a shimmering blue and had a small clear section. it reminded donghyuck of the stars in jeju, bright and scattered, yet close and dull. "it means to be strong, no matter what." 

"mmh, when did this turn into a drama mark? this isn't boys over flowers." donghyuck sniffled. mark looked over at him, his cheeks getting redder by the second. 

"well- you see- i-"

"shush you, idiot. i love it. thank you."

and that was the start of a 'year of surprises' as lee donghyuck liked to call it.


	3. milk, oolong and keys

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Donghyuck go to the cherry blossom festival and Mark gives Donghyuck an apple charm

"so, this was your idea of fun, mark?" jeno asked skeptically.

"of course, it's a tea house. you get to try different types of tea, why wouldn't it be fun?" mark said innocently. donghyuck and jeno looked at each other and then at mark as if he was crazy. donghyuck sighed and drew closer to his boyfriend. not a second later, a small, pale woman wearing a kimono-like outfit brought over a tray with a pot of oolong tea and three teacups. "it's also freezing outside and i don't want to become an ice cube."

jeno rolled his eyes and poured everyone a cup of tea. the smell of warm caramel and butter filled the air. the tea was dark, yet light and airy. it reminded mark of his mother and canada.

"what type of oolong is this hyuck?" mark asked in a deep, yet quiet voice.

"uh," donghyuck picked up a small card with various teas on it, "red robe tea." mark nodded and took another sip.

as time went on mark, donghyuck, and jeno recalled countless memories from over the years. from the time when jeno tried to naruto run through their school but ended up getting a concussion from running into a locker, to the time when mark got a call from his friends in canada saying they thought he died. ironic, because he will die. if only they had waited a little longer to make their speculations.

"guys we should go," jeno said calming down from his laughter. "renjun and jaemin want me home before 6. something about bonding time and working my wrist." donghyuck and mark turned at him in disgust and gagged.

"jeno, i love you, you're my best friend, but please never tell us that again," mark said.

"uh, o-okay?" jeno looked confused for the most part. he'll have to ask jaemin about that later. "i'll go pay," jeno said as he got up. "i'll be back in a moment."

"well that was disturbing, to say the least," donghyuck said in a low voice. mark looked at donghyuck and chuckled. the older reached into his pocket and revealed a small, silver skeleton key.

"you're going to make fun of me for this, but, you're the key to my life!" mark said in a somewhat exciting tone. donghyuck looked over to mark with the most shocked expression on his face. 

"oh my god, you are such a dork," donghyuck said doubling over with laughter. he soon composed himself and took the key out of mark's hand. the key was somewhat old and looked as if it had been through world war one, twice. nevertheless donghyuck put it in his pocket and gave mark a kiss on the cheek.

"oh you really are a dork. but, you're my dork, so i guess i'll let it slide." donghyuck said in his obnoxiously loud voice. towards the end of the sentence, his voice got softer and fonder and his eyes softened. 

"are you done teasing me now?" mark asked while leaning closer to donghyuck's face. suddenly jeno appeared behind the two as mark leaned closer.

"okay i never want to see that again. i literally almost threw up, you disgusting people." jeno says as his face contorts with disgust. mark laughed at his best friend before getting up. 

"alright, we should get going before jeno and renjun make you give them hand jobs," mark says, helping donghyuck off the ground.

"WHAT?"


	4. cherries and apples

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Donghyuck had morning sex and Mark gives Donghyuck a mint leaf

"hyuckie, isn't it pretty? all the flower petals around us?" mark said, looking around in awe. the annual cherry blossoms started to bloom around the city, adding pink and white tint to the city. 

"yeah, really pretty." donghyuck said, giggling. they passed by a plethora of street vendors and shops. donghyuck pulled mark over to a flower vendor and put blue hydrangeas in his hair. "good?"

"perfect"

later, as the sun was setting, mark took donghyuck to a small boat. the walls were lined with velvet and gold vines and the floors were made up of beautiful marble tiles. a short woman came up to them and showed them to a table in a small corner. the couple ate and laughed for what seemed like forever, enjoying the quiet and peacefulness on the boat. 

mark paid the bill and the two walked off the boat, donghyuck slightly tipsy from the wine. the two walked down the pier and admired the sunset while making small conversation. as they sat and talked the moon slowly became visible, it's light illuminating everything in it's path. mark and donghyuck became cold from being surrounded by water and decided to walk back to their apartment.

as they walked through the streets, illuminated by the moon, they witnessed all of the closed stores and vending carts. flowers littered the empty streets and gave the area a calm aura, like time had stopped. mark pulled donghyuck's arm as they reached their apartment building, startling the younger. 

"s-sorry," mark says as he notices donghyuck's startled expression. "I just wanted to give you this." he pulled a small velvet box out of his pocket, handing it to donghyuck.

"if you're going to propose you're doing it in the entirely wrong way mr. lee," donghyuck says opening the box. inside of it laid a silver charm shaped like an apple. on the back of it, 'mark+donghyuck' was engraved in mark's clumsy handwriting. donghyuck couldn't put into words how he felt. he felt loved. he felt excited. he felt so many things.

"i know it's not the right fruit for the festival and I could have picked something better but-"

"shut up you dork," donghyuck said as he put his lips on mark's. the moonlight bounced off of their faces as their tongues danced in each others mouths. mark pulled away, breathing heavily as he looked into doghyuck's eyes.

"you are the apple of my eye."


	5. sex and rain

april 14, 2019 - 11:30 am

mark and donghyuck were laying in bed, limbs intertwined as their breathing returned to a normal pace. their naked bodies were sweaty and smelled of sex and sweat. mark started to stroked donghyuck's hair as he looked out the window. rain stained the glass and the sound of cars splashing water could be heard.

"what're you thinking?" donghyuck suddenly asked, voice muffled by his face being in marks chest.

"what do you mean?" mark replied, voice slightly slurred from their previous activity.

"you're thinking about something," donghyuck raised his head, "so tell me what you're thinking," donghyuck's head fell back down.

mark's eyes closed as he responded to donghyuck. "how beautiful you are, and how beautiful you sound. you're like a drug that's so addicting not even rehab can help me at this point. i couldn't trade you for all of the treasures in the world. you have haunted my thoughts and dreams since the day i laid eyes on you. and i'm afraid of you. because you have the power to destroy me. i'm less afraid of dying than I am of losing you. and i'm okay with that." mark opened his eyes and let out a sigh.

donghyuck started to trace random patterns on mark's stomach and hummed. "i'm okay with that too."

the boys were surrounded by a calming silence as the two of them began to doze off. the sounds of soft breathing filled the room until a phone went off signaling that one of them had gotten a text message.

doyoung: keep it down you losers. some of us don't have lives and enjoy sleeping

it was mark's phone and the message was from doyoung, their neighbor who happened to work with donghyuck.

mark: poor you. you're single and have no life because jungwoo rejected you. now stop pissing on our parade you ass - love, donghyuck

donghyuck replied. mark's phone didn't get any more notifications so they could only assume doyoung left them on read.

"could you get me a glass of water mark? m'thirsty," donghyuck said in a low voice.

mark sighed and shifted donghyuck off of him. he made his way to the kitchen and filled two glassed with tap water before returning to the room.

he handed donghyuck a glass as the younger sat up against the pillow and then drank some water from the other glass before settling back into bed.

"hyuck, will you make fun of me for giving something to you?" mark asked his boyfriend.

"don't know, it honestly depends on what cheesy line comes after," the younger replied in typical dongyhuck fashion. mark chuckled before reaching onto the bedside table and picking up a small green leaf.

he handed the younger the small plant and watched as he examined it. "so should I deliver the line now or later?" donghyuck chuckled before giving a small 'now'.

"you intoxicate me, lee donghyuck."

not moments after, donghyuck's lips were pressed against marks in a pure fit of love and admiration.

it was time for round two, the both of them guessed.


	6. seeds of love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Donghyuck go for a walk and Mark gives Donghyuck a watermelon seed

may 9th, 2019 - 12:30pm

it was a warm day in seoul, so the traffic was insufferable. everybody rushing to get to the nearest beach, or go to busan for the carnival. mark had suggested to donghyuck that they go to a tea-and-crafts fair that was an hour and a half away from their shared apartment. donghyuck immediately shot him down, yelling about "immunodeficiency" and "you're a magnet for diseases right now."

so, the pair had decided to stay home. at least until mark saw that there were watermelon vendors outside. he had dragged donghyuck outside, promising it would only be 20 minutes and then they would come back in. the pair walked down the street, past bike racks and bus stops flooded with college students trying to get back to campus. mark had missed those days. back when he and jeno would go to party after party, only to end up hungover and regretting their life decisions when they got to their 9 am class.

"do you want dak-kkochi mark?" donghyuck's light voice asked. mark nodded and he was immediately met with a skewer of meat and seafood. his mouth watered just looking at it. the pair continued to walk down the street, side-by-side eating whatever food they could find, the watermelon vendor coming last. eventually, they had to turn around because they were going too far from their apartment complex.

the pair were about 10 minutes away from their apartment when mark suddenly felt as if a truck had hit him. he grabbed onto hyuck's hand causing the younger to stop and look at his boyfriend with extreme concern.

"mark are you okay?" donghyuck's voice rang through marks ears. the younger pulled him over to the nearest bench where he immediately sat down and leaned over. "mark you have to talk to me, are you okay? do you need to go to the hospital?"

"no, i'm just tired...that's all," the older replied, his voice small and tired.

"i'm going to get you some water, and then i'll call an uber to get us, okay?" donghyuck said softly. mark could only nod as he felt his bones feel heavier. the younger ran to the nearest vendor and paid for a small bottle of water. when he came back, mark was trying to stand to accompany his boyfriend.

"sit," donghyuck said, sternly. "and drink this, i'm calling an uber to come pick us up." mark could only take small sips of the water at a time because if he raised his arm any higher, it would collapse.

"we can walk, it's fine. i'm fine." mark tried to protest.

"you can barely stand, you're not walking anywhere."

mark opened his mouth to say something, when a small black car pulled up to the side walk. it was their uber. donghyuck helped mark up to the car and gently ushered him in, then rushing to the other side to get in the car.

the car ride was short and quiet. the driver didn't say much other than hello and have a nice afternoon when they were dropped back to the complex. once they got back, mark could move his limbs without feeling like he was going to collapse, but that didn't make it any easier. donghyuck was still holding him up, every step feeling lighter than the last.

when they finally got upstairs, donghyuck undressed mark and forced him to lie in bed, and no amount of protest could get donghyuck to budge. the younger handed the television remote to the older for him to choose something to watch and then left the room. a few moments later, donghyuck came into the bedroom with a plate of watermelon slices and placed them on the nightstand next to mark.

"what are we watching?" donghyuck said cheerily as he slid under the covers, cautious not to hurt the other boy.

"buzzfeed unsolved, the axeman of new orleans," mark said flatly. donghyuck wiggled his eyebrows excitedly.

"ooh murder, how fun."

14 episodes and 6 watermelon slices later, mark pulls out a small cloth bag.

"hyuck, here," he says gently. donghyuck takes the bag out of his boyfriends hands and opens it, only to find watermelon seeds.

"what's this for?" donghyuck asks, looking into mark's eyes inquisitively.

"watermelon seeds, because i love you." mark says, and before donghyuck can say anything, he follows his sentence up with, "just a bit more that watermelon."

"you disgust me mark lee"

"i know"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading


End file.
